1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mat for protecting a floor in an animal confinement pen.
2. Description of Background Art
Animal confinement pens are commonly used to feed livestock in preparation for market. Confinement pens hold animals in a restricted space where they can be heavily fed in order to promote fast growth. Confinement pens may additionally prevent the animals from fighting or injuring each other, and the close quarters prevents the animals from being too active, which results in an overly muscular and tough food animal.
Confinement pens are commonly constructed with a flooring upon which the animals stand or rest, as a dirt floor in a confinement pen quickly becomes wet or muddy and may be a cause of disease or infection. Therefore, slat floors, having regularly spaced openings, are commonly used to keep the confined animals up off of the ground while yet allowing animal wastes to fall through and be disposed of. Slat floors are commonly constructed of pre-fabricated concrete panels placed together upon a supporting structure.
Confinement pens for animal feeding are used to promote fast growth in the animals. The quantity and quality of the feed can be highly regulated and controlled. As part of the feed mixture, a feedlot operator may add ingredients such as acids, salts, and whey to stimulate appetite and weight gain, and also to increase water consumption and retention by the animals. Although the additives may achieve the desired goals, they have a negative consequence on the floor of the confinement pen. Because the additives have a corrosive effect, especially on concrete, feed spilled on the floor has a deleterious effect on the flooring. The additives cause a softening and crumbling of the concrete.
In the past, feedlot operators had few ways in which to combat such corrosion. Often, the corrosion was simply ignored and the slat flooring was replaced when it had deteriorated too much. Alternatively, raised concrete pads were constructed for feed dispensers to rest on, basically adding more concrete for the corrosion to attack as a way of postponing the problem. Coatings were painted on the flooring that provided a protective layer. Occasionally mats have been used under and around feed dispensers, but not as a protective barrier.
All of these prior art approaches had their drawbacks. Ignoring the problem completely meant that a concrete floor could become dangerous or unusable in the span of a few years. A raised concrete pad lengthened this period by providing more concrete to be corroded before the slat flooring was destroyed, but did nothing to slow or prevent the actual rate of decay. Painted-on coatings were capable of providing an effective barrier to corrosion, but had difficulty in withstanding the wear and tear of animal hooves. Some animals, such as pigs, are very competitive in feeding, and continuously fight for a place at the feed dispenser. The sharp and active hooves of swine will damage a painted-on covering. Rubber mats have been used in order to retain feed, but not to prevent corrosion of the underlying floor. Although rubber mats may protect the underlying floor, they have disadvantages such as being susceptible to wear and abrasion, and can be chewed up by animals. Pigs are notorious for chewing on exposed edges. Hard plastic mats may be tough and abrasion resistant, but may become slippery when wet.
What is needed therefore is a mat of a durable material that is corrosion and abrasion resistant and fluid impermeable that can be used to protect the flooring in an animal confinement pen.